Not the most beautiful of squashes, this is a traditional old, large faded orange squash great for pies.
Pigs were first domesticated about 7000 BC. The Domesday Book records herds several thousand strong throughout England. The word "porcelain" comes from the pig bone used for bone china. Some breeds of Far Eastern pig have webbed trotters and catch fish. Traditionally, they are slaughtered before the first frosts at around 10-12 months. Selective breeding has produced breeds with a thinner coat of fat than their wild ancestors, a broad back and massive thighs.
Pigeon usually refers to the woodpigeon, the main wild pigeon (rather than a dove). In some countries pigeons are considered vermin and are usually sold for the table under the name of squab. These should be young pigeons just beginning to flex their muscles for flight but before they actually do so.
The Angola pea or pigeon pea is actually a bean but is called a pea because of its size and shape. It is a native of India and Africa where it is widely available and an important crop. It can be sprouted, dried and then soaked before cooking or used as a forage crop. In India it is known as yellow lentil or red gram.
In the Untied States 'pigs in a blanket' referes to sausages of any kind, wrapped in dough or pancake batter and baked. Unlike British toad-in-the-hole, which is lots of sausages baked in amonst crisp surrounding Yorkshire pudding, these are individual and what might be called in the UK 'sausage rolls'. In the UK 'pigs in blankets' are a cocktail snack of chipolatas wrapped in rashers of bacon and baked, often served at the same time as 'devils on horseback' and traditionally cooked around the turkey for Christmas lunch in the UK..
A variety of eating apple rusetted and blushed with red which probably arose in Herefordshire some time before 1884 when it was first reliably described. It is said to resemble a pig's snout, though I don't see it myself. This late-season variety is harvested from mid-October in South-East England and is at is best from November to December.
